Paul Leslie

Hi, I'm Paul Leslie, just an ordinary guy thrown into the foreign world of hospitals, clinic visits, surgery and chemotherapy.

This is my story, the story of a husband and a brother who cared for his wife and sister as they both died from terminal disease. I am also a Father who needed to guide his children through the loss of their mother and aunty. I talk about my journey, how my life was thrown into turmoil, how I had to become fluent in medical jargon and how I was suddenly knowledgeable of medicine regimes with their side effects along with the hardship of watching my wife struggle with the finality of her diagnosis. How the ordinary things in life such as going to work and catching up with mates disappeared, replaced with waiting rooms, holding vomit cartons and bedside vigilance. Surprisingly there were also the magical moments, the moments where we were together as a family and had the precious opportunity to be close and open, creating memories.
I have shared my story at Breast Cancer Society events and in a book by Peter Calder supporting men with wives who have breast cancer. By sharing my story I hope to create awareness of how the diagnosis of terminal disease impacts on significant others and how healthcare workers can show compassion, understanding and support towards those going through a similar process.